Philip Seymour Hoffman to direct ‘Ezekiel Moss’

Second helming effort for 'The Master' star

Fresh off high praise and a record-breaking weekend for “The Master,” Philip Seymour Hoffman is eyeing a move behind the camera, as the multihyphenate is on board to helm the Depression Era ghost story “Ezekiel Moss” for Mandalay Pictures.

The 2011 Black List script by Keith Bunin follows a young, imaginative boy living in a small town who befriends a mysterious drifter who may have the ability to communicate with the dead.

Anthony Bregman of Likely Story and Cathy Schulman of Mandalay Pictures will produce along with Stefanie Azpiazu of Likely Story, Adam Stone of Mandalay Pictures and Emily Ziff of Hoffman’s Cooper’s Town Productions.

“Hoffman is one of the great talents of our generation,” Schulman said. “We are thrilled to be in his capable hands directing this captivating and gothic exploration of faith and the supernatural.”

Hoffman has already had a good couple of weeks with “The Master” preeming at the Venice Film Festival, where he shared top acting kudos with Joaquin Phoenix. The pic also bowed this week in a limited run, setting a new per-screen average record of $145,949.

Hoffman, repped by Greenberg, Glusker, is currently filming “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” and can also be seen in “A Late Quartet” later this fall.